Course Descriptions

SWK-S141 Introduction to Social Work (3cr) Overall introduction to the field of social services emphasizing functions, characteristics, and ideological perspectives of agencies. May not be used to satisfy major or minor requirements in sociology.

SWK-S501 Professional Social Work at the Master's Level: An Immersion (3cr) Orients students to the profession of social work by examining the history of social work in the context of its values and ethics and by discussing the social welfare framework within which the profession exists.

SWK-S502 Research I (3cr) Introduces students to the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate their own practice and the effectiveness of social service programs within which they work.

SWK-S503 Human Behavior and Social Environment: Individuals, Families, and Groups (3cr) Focuses on individual development and functioning at all system levels with particular emphasis on the interplay of individual, family, and group system needs and resources over time. Special attention is given to issues of values and ethics and to the impact of inequality, discrimination, and differential access to opportunity within society on the development and functioning of both the individual and the family systems.

SWK-S504 Professional Practice Skills (3cr) Introduces students to knowledge, values, and skills for generalist social work practice. The course prepares students to enhance the well-being of people and to ameliorate environmental conditions that affect them adversely. Includes laboratory experiences to provide opportunities for students to develop basic social work skills through experiential and simulation activities. Focus is on core interactional skills of social work practitioner differentially applied at all system levels and with diverse populations.

SWK-S505 Social Policy Analysis and Practice (3cr) Examines the political and legislative processes as these influence the development of social policy and services. Included are legislative and political processes, models of policy analysis, service delivery, and policy implementation. The effects of these on people are considered from global, political, economic, and social policy perspectives.

SWK-S513 Human Behavior In Social Environment: Organizations, Communities, and Societies (3cr) Presents theoretical frameworks for understanding organizations, communities, and society as both targets and instruments of change, focusing on the ways that organizations, community, and societal structures and processes enhance or inhibit the well-being of people. Course content includes selected social problems. Special attention is given to the impact of inequality, discrimination, and differential access to opportunity on the larger systems, as well as on individuals and groups within them.

SWK-S514 Practice With Individual and Family I (3cr) Focuses on generalist social work practice with individuals, families, and groups.

SWK-S618 Social Policy and Services II (3cr) A group of courses covering topics or content including social problems, special populations, particular social service areas, and social indicators that predict areas of future social policy transformation. (Student selects one course.)

SWK-S516 Social Work Practice II: Organizations, Communities, Societies (3cr) This course is concerned with helping communities and other social units empower themselves and eradicate oppressive situations and practices through networking, political participation, leadership development, mobilization, utilization of resources, and other strategies and techniques.

SWK-S555 Social Work Practicum I (3cr) Introduction of practice skills. This course is an educationally directed practice experience in social work practice settings with approved field instructors.

SWK-S600 Elective (3cr) These courses are chosen from electives offered by the social work department on various subjects, or taken at a graduate level in a related field, as approved by the program director.

SWK-S623 Practice Research Integrative Seminar I (3cr) Provides content from various research methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative designs, to support advanced interpersonal social work practice.

SWK-S673 Couples and Families Interventions I (3cr) This course provides in-depth discussion of ways to intervene with individuals on family-of-origin issues, couples at different ages, and the family as part of a larger social context utilizing a strengths perspective.

SWK-S683 Community Based Practice In Mental Health Addictions (3cr) Provides knowledge and skills relevant to various aspects of social work practice in prevention, intervention, and treatment of selected addictions.

SWK-S687 Mental Health and Addiction Practice With Groups (3cr) Students enrolled in this course develop professional knowledge and skills fro group work services to and for persons affected by mental health and addictions issues. The phases of group development and intervention during the various group work stages provide a conceptual framework for the course.

SWK-S685 Mental Health and Addiction Practice With Individuals or Families (3cr) Students enrolled in this course develop knowledge, values and ethics, skills, and judgment necessary for competent application of selected evidence based, best practice, approaches for service to and for children, youth, adults, and families affected by mental health and addiction issues.

SWK-S686 Social Work Practice With Addictions (3cr) Focuses on theory and skills needed for advanced social work practice with, and on behalf of, families.